Amended 14.5.11. Minor edits 17.2.2014.

999, Private Phillip COOK - 13th Light Dragoons

Birth & early life

Enlistment

Enlisted into the 3rd Light Dragoons at Maidstone on the 1st of June 1839. No Regimental No. was allocated.

Age: 18.

Height: 5' 9".

Trade: Servant.

Features: Fresh complexion. Grey eyes. Brown hair.

Service

Transferred "at his own request," into the 13th Hussars on the 1st of May 1840.

He was batman to Lieut. General Blake from 1848-49.

From Private to Corporal: 3rd of November 1854.

Joined the regiment in the Crimea from Varna on the 7th of February 1855.

Corporal to Sergeant: 5th of October 1855.

Discharge & pension

Discharged from Aldershot on the 28th of October 1862 as:

"Labours under a stricture - his disease being the result of a natural pre-disposition and aggravated by intemperance and long service. It is likely to interfere with his ability to earn his own living."

Aged 41 years 6 months.

Served 23 years 141 days. In Turkey and the Crimea, 2 years.

Conduct, "good". Had no Good Conduct badges when promoted and would now be in possession of four.

Eleven times entered in the Regimental Defaulter's book. Never tried by Court-martial

Awarded a pension of 1/7d. per day.

To live at Raneleigh Place, Northgate, Canterbury, after discharge.

Medals & commemorations

Entitled to the Crimean medal with clasp for Sebastopol and the Turkish medal.

Documents confirm the award of the Crimean and Long Service medals.

Lummis and Wynn state that "he does not appear on the medal roll," but this is not so. They also confuse the regiment from which he transferred into the 13th Hussars as being the 3rd Dragoon Guards.

Awarded the Long Service & Good Conduct Medal on the 7th of August 1860 with a gratuity of £5.